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Charleston, SC - The world's largest and most efficient car carrier is making its maiden call at the Port of Charleston's Union Pier Terminal today, representing additional ship calls and increased roll-on roll-off capacity for Charleston's customers.

The FEDORA, a Large Car Truck Carrier (LCTC) operated by Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics (WWL), was delivered earlier this year and sails in the EA/NA service between the U.S. East Coast and North Europe.

Charleston is now being featured as a weekly call in the service, providing much-needed capacity in the export trade from Charleston to North Europe. With the new service, Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics has seven vessel calls per month in Charleston.

"There is significant demand for export space from Charleston, so this new service is great news for existing customers and will allow us to pursue new cargo opportunities," said Fred N. Stribling, vice president of marketing and sales for the South Carolina State Ports Authority. "We have a strong and longstanding relationship with Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics, so we are pleased to welcome this service to Charleston."

FEDORA has a capacity of 8,000 car equivalent units. Overseas ports of call include Bremerhaven (Germany), Gothenburg (Sweden), Zeebrugge (Belgium) and Southampton (UK). The FEDOREA will be followed next week by a visit from ANIARA, WWL's latest new build, which also has a capacity of 8,000 car equivalent units.

Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics won the Maritime Association of South Carolina's 2008 Environmental Stewardship Award, and the new ships have a number of environmental features. For more information about WWL and the vessels, please go to http://www.2wglobal.com.

Charleston, SC - The South Carolina State Ports Authority (SCSPA) achieved record revenues and earnings in fiscal year 2008, eliminating the need for any additional state taxpayer funding beyond what has already been allocated for port expansion and related projects in Charleston.

In the fiscal year that ended June 30, the SCSPA's operating revenues increased 7.6% to $165 million, operating expenses rose 6.6% to $110 million, and earnings increased 9.7% to $54.7 million.

"From a financial standpoint, South Carolina's public port system is very healthy," said David J. Posek, the SCSPA's board chairman. "These strong numbers allow us to cover the costs of current operations along with the new container terminal in North Charleston. That is good news for both our customers and the people of South Carolina."

Unlike most public seaports, the SCSPA funds all of its ongoing operating expenses and capital improvement projects, has no taxing authority and does not receive direct subsidy from the state. Since 1985, it has reinvested more than $720 million in cash to acquire and construct capital assets in the state's seaport facilities of Charleston and Georgetown.

Further, Posek said that the SCSPA's current fiscal position will enable it to cover the remaining state matching funds for the recently completed harbor deepening project, as well as any shortfall in funding for the Port Access Road serving the new Navy Base Terminal.

"The Ports Authority won't need additional taxpayer funding from the General Assembly for either the Port Access Road or the new Navy Base Terminal," said Posek.

Approximately $7.9 million in state matching funds are required to close out the Charleston Harbor Deepening and Widening Project. This work was completed in 2004, taking the inner harbor channels to -45 feet at mean low water and the entrance channel to -47 feet.

Posek said the SCSPA will cover the deepening balance, along with any additional funds that might be necessary to complete a 1.5-mile road connecting I-26 to the 280-acre container terminal that is currently under construction. State and federal dollars already allocated to the Port Access Road total more than $182.5 million, plus approximately $7 million in interest.

"The S.C. General Assembly and Gov. Mark Sanford stepped up significantly with early funding for the Port Access Road and the previous harbor deepening," said Posek. "We are extremely grateful for their action, which is the springboard to complete these projects."

Posek continued, "Construction of the new Navy Base Terminal is essential. It will continue to generate quality jobs for the local economy and will serve South Carolina industries as trade expands."

Work on the new Navy Base Terminal is well underway. The $550-million Phase I is scheduled for completion in 2014 and, at build-out, the new terminal will boost Charleston's container capacity by 1.4 million TEU (20-foot equivalent units).

The Port of Charleston's productivity remained at world-class levels for the year. Vessel production, which measures how quickly ships are worked at the dock, averaged 40.5 moves per crane per hour for the year, the best in the country. Truck turn times are averaging around 23 minutes.

In other results, the SCSPA's breakbulk cargo volume in Charleston rose 23% to 660,096 tons. Cruise business also increased, with passenger counts rising 35% to 131,124 and the ship count up 29% to 54 vessels. During the same period, container volume totaled 1,694,504 TEU, a 10% decline from the previous year's total of 1,883,651 in the face of a weaker import market and stiff competition from subsidized ports along the East Coast.

"We're obviously not content with the decline in container volume," said Posek. "Charleston is not immune to current market conditions, but we'll be doing all we can to increase business as the economy improves."

Charleston, SC - The S.C. State Ports Authority (SCSPA) is one of five U.S. port organizations selected to participate in an 18-month environmental management program.

Established by the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) and the Global Environment & Technology Foundation (GETF), the Port Environmental Management System (EMS) Assistance Project is designed to help seaport authorities better analyze and control their environmental impacts as well as develop and maintain responsible practices in their daily operations. This is the third round of the program since it was established in 2005.

"Our participation in the Port EMS program is another example of the port's commitment to balancing our business and growth with the environment," said Bernard S. Groseclose Jr., president and CEO of the SCSPA. "Through our Pledge for Growth initiatives, adding an environmental affairs manager to our staff, and by evaluating new ways to minimize port-related air emissions, we are striving to be a responsible neighbor."

"AAPA is pleased to continue to offer the Port EMS Assistance Project for port authorities that are seeking to use an environmental management system approach to enhance their environmental performance," said Kurt Nagle, AAPA's president and CEO.

EMS Assistance Project participants were selected based on involvement of top management, organizational support and the ability to share experiences with peers and affiliated organizations. The other port organizations participating in the program are the Port of San Diego, Port of Long Beach, California United Terminals and the Georgia Ports Authority.

Initially, the SCSPA proposes to analyze fuel dispensing and usage at its five public marine terminals in the Port of Charleston. The SCSPA purchases about one million gallons of fuel a year to power its on-terminal lifting equipment, and last fall switched to using ultra-low sulfur diesel in its operations.

This is the latest of several recent announcements by the SCSPA that relate to the environment. Earlier this summer, the SCSPA launched the Pledge for Growth (www.PledgeforGrowth.com), which encompasses all of the port's environmental and community programming. This includes a voluntary partnership with S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) to reduce port-related air emissions and a $12-million mitigation plan that funds land conservation, water quality improvement and community enhancements.

The SCSPA is hiring an environmental affairs manager that will ensure regulatory compliance and implement the port's EMS, among other responsibilities. In addition, the SCSPA, along with the Charleston Motor Carriers Association, S.C. Trucking Association, SCDHEC, Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce and the American Lung Association, applied for grant funding through EPA that would improve air impacts of trucks. The grants would fund the retro-fitting of over-the-road trucks with new technology that would reduce diesel air emissions and improve fuel efficiency.

Charleston, SC - Time is running out to enroll in the Transportation Workers Identification Credential (TWIC) program. Earlier today, the U.S. Coast Guard announced that Charleston's TWIC compliance date will be December 1, 2008.

TWIC is the new federally mandated ID for anyone that requires unescorted access to secure areas of the port. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is issuing workers a "Smart Card" embedded with fingerprint information that links the card to the person.

In many cases, it is taking months to produce the cards, so now is the time to enroll. Already, more than 4,400 truckers, longshoremen, stevedores and others have enrolled at the Charleston TWIC enrollment center. Of these, about 3,000 have received their cards.

Anyone that requires unescorted access to secure areas on the South Carolina State Ports Authority's public port terminals must apply for and receive a TWIC, which costs $132.50. To avoid delays and impacts on the port community and your business, the SCSPA encourages everyone that requires access, including truck drivers, tenants, labor, and others, to enroll as soon as possible.

Individuals may either enroll in person at the center or pre-enroll on the web site. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has a fixed TWIC enrollment center located at 4600 Goer Drive, Suite 112 in North Charleston. The hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Teresa Arosemena (ACP - Panama)
Phone: (507) 272-1873

Chris Hayes (ACP - U.S.)
Phone: (202) 326-1768

Byron Miller (SCSPA)
Phone: (843) 577-8197

The renewal of the MOU with the SCSPA further solidifies the ACP's commitment to international trade and serves as a model of progress and opportunity. The agreement was first initiated in July 2003.

"Through the renewal of this MOU with the South Carolina State Ports Authority, we are investing in a strong partnership based on close strategic coordination," said ACP Administrator/CEO Alberto Alemn Zubieta. "This alliance is grounded in our common mission to provide the best service available to our customers and contribute to the growth in trade and commerce of our respective communities, and the industry, through key modernization projects and improvement."

The area within 60 miles of the Port of Charleston is set to gain more than 20 million square feet of industrial distribution and manufacturing capacity, plus a 1,300-acre logistics center in Orangeburg County. Many local and international companies are investing millions of dollars in the state to take advantage of strategic access to efficient seaport facilities, major transportation corridors and access to 60 million consumers within a 500 mile radius.

Areas of collaboration between the ACP and the SCSPA include, among others, joint marketing efforts, exchange of data, market studies, expansion plans, training and technology. This newly extended partnership also will seek to grow the increasingly important "All-Water Route," the route from Asia to the U.S. East Coast via the Panama Canal. Major products currently traveling through the Panama Canal via Charleston include household products, such as furniture, machinery, forest products and consumer goods.

"When you combine Panama's tremendous role in global trade with Charleston's world-class productivity, expansion opportunities, navigational advantages and distribution center developments, the importance of this partnership becomes clear," added SCSPA President and CEO Bernard S. Groseclose Jr.

The Panama Canal expansion will build a new lane of traffic along the Panama Canal through the construction of a new set of locks which will double capacity and allow more traffic and longer, wider ships.

Moreover, in anticipating the infrastructure needs of the future, the Port of Charleston is laying the groundwork to prepare for the bigger vessels that will transit the expanded Canal. The Port of Charleston has a 45-foot water draft at low water and already handles vessels with drafts of 42 feet and greater. Post-Panamax ships make routine first-in and last-out calls in Charleston.

The agency will approve a no cost, non-competitive lease, allowing the South Carolina State Ports Authority (SCSPA) to bring in fill material from an ocean dredge disposal site for construction of the new Navy Base Terminal.

Using the material from the Ocean Dredged Material Disposal Site (ODMDS), seven miles from the entrance to Charleston Harbor, is more effective from a cost, time and environmental perspective. It will save an estimated $40 million in construction costs, while also offering reduced environmental impacts when compared to bringing in material from either farther away or by truck.

"Using material from the ocean disposal site will generate significant cost savings and benefits," said David J. Posek, chairman of the SCSPA. "Senator Graham, Congressman Brown and their staffs guided this through the appropriate channels, and we are very thankful for their help."

"This a common sense decision to utilize existing resources for the benefit of the taxpayer," said U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham. "It is fitting to take material dredged from the harbor for shipping and use it to benefit trade for the whole nation."

"I'm pleased with the great progress on port construction since permits were issued last year," said U.S. Congressman Henry Brown. "Port expansion is vital to every region in South Carolina, and this decision is one important step forward that will help keep the project on track. This is great news for the Navy Base Terminal, and I was proud to have worked with Senator Graham on this important effort."

Permits for construction of the new terminal at the former Navy Base involve the filling of approximately 57 acres, which will require up to five million cubic yards of imported material. To reduce the impacts of truck delivery, the SCSPA has committed to bring at least 75% of fill by water. The SCSPA also plans to remove dredged material from its property on Daniel Island, just across the Cooper River.

The Charleston ODMDS has been in continuous use for dredge disposal activities since 1896. Most material from the construction and maintenance of the entrance channel leading to Charleston Harbor is deposited at this site. The material has already been tested and found suitable for ocean disposal and therefore is clean and good for use in construction.

The use of fill for creation of land for a container terminal is a true beneficial use of dredge material that meets dredge policies and goals of both the EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The material cannot be used for beach nourishment or other potential beneficial purposes, and the removal of the material from the site will extend the useful life of the ODMDS.

Savannah, GA - The port authorities in Georgia and South Carolina will share ownership of the Jasper Ocean Terminal site, under plans set for approval this week.

The Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) Board of Directors today unanimously approved the acquisition of 1,518 acres of land for the development on the Savannah River. The South Carolina State Ports Authority (SCSPA) Board is set to consider a similar resolution at its regular meeting in Charleston tomorrow.

The property, which is in South Carolina but currently owned by the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT), will be paid for and owned jointly by the SCSPA and the GPA. The land transfer could close by July 28.

"The acquisition approved today by the Georgia Ports Authority is the next step toward realizing the great potential for international trade and commerce in this region," said Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue. "By creating the right conditions for growth and prosperity, we ensure new jobs and opportunity for many years to come."

"Our two ports authorities assuming joint ownership of the Jasper site is an incredibly significant and tangible step in moving forward on this port facility," South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford said. "Growing our port capacity is critical to our ability to compete in an increasingly global economy, and I again want to thank everyone involved in this process for their hard work in getting us to this point."

The land transfer is in accordance with the Intergovernmental Agreement signed by the SCSPA, the GPA and the GDOT in January 2008. This Agreement formalized that the two states would work cooperatively to develop a new marine terminal on the Savannah River in Jasper County.

The Agreement further specifies that GPA's interest in the property will be transferred to the Bi-State Compact Authority upon its creation and commencement of business activities. The purchase price is $5,000 per acre, also specified in the Agreement.

"We are excited about the prospect of the Jasper Ocean Terminal," said Steve Green, GPA's Chairman of the Board. "This is a critical step in a process that will include a sound business development plan and thorough analysis of environmental impacts."

"The Jasper Ocean Terminal site is just a few miles from the open ocean, offering tremendous potential to attract good jobs and more economic activity to the region," said David J. Posek, chairman of the SCSPA. "We look forward to making progress with Georgia on other fronts, such as removal of federal dredge disposal easements on the property."

Under the inter-governmental agreement, the Jasper Ocean Terminal Joint Project Office (JPO), was formed to move the project forward. The agreement initiated a number of specific steps, such as feasibility studies, business planning, environmental assessments and the release of federal easements on the property.

The JPO's work will eventually result in a detailed proposal for consideration by both states. This bi-state compact, which must be approved by each state's General Assembly and the U.S. Congress, would cover the financing and operation of the project, as well as other issues.

The Senate passed H.R. 802, which will implement Annex VI of MARPOL, an international maritime pollution treaty, and will provide air quality benefits for port communities in countries that are signatories to the global treaty. Annex VI establishes emission limits for oxides of nitrogen (NOx), oxides of sulfur (SOx) and other air pollutants from ships.

However, the U.S. was not previously a signatory to the treaty. Passage of the bill could allow the U.S. to vote on proposed changes. The EPA has proposed sweeping changes to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the agency responsible for improving safety and preventing pollution from ships. Under the EPA proposal, the industry would adopt more stringent vessel emission requirements as part of MARPOL Annex VI, an international maritime pollution treaty. In April, the IMO's Maritime Protection Committee approved sweeping new limits for sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions and a timetable for their introduction. The guidelines are set for final approval in October.

Recognizing that ocean-going vessels are a key source of port-related air pollution, the SCSPA has been actively working on the national and international stage to support stringent new restrictions on air emissions for ships calling our coast. At its monthly Board meeting last November, the SCSPA unanimously passed a resolution supporting the Environmental Protection Agency's efforts to reduce emissions from vessels calling the United States.

SCSPA president and CEO Bernard S. Groseclose Jr. is a member of the American Association of Port Authorities' U.S. Legislative Policy Council and personally advocated support for the stricter standards at its meeting last fall. Groseclose is also 2nd vice president of the International Association of Ports and Harbors.

An international approach is obviously much better than unilateral action. Stringent global standards for ship air emissions will ensure consistency and meaningful reductions, which simply can't be accomplished through a hodgepodge of local or state regulations.

"We recognize that we can't do it alone," said Byron Miller, public relations director for the SCSPA. "We must take a leadership role and join voices with regulators and industry leaders to make a concerted push." Diverse groups such as the Environmental Defense Fund and the World Shipping Council have advocated passage of the bill.

While Charleston's air quality meets all federal and state standards, the SCSPA sees the opportunity now to press for stricter standards.

Beyond cleaner engines and fuel, the SCSPA has evaluated shoreside power technology to allow ships to plug in while at dock. Last fall the SCSPA hosted an International Organization for Standardization, or ISO, working group of three dozen shipping industry executives from Europe, Asia and the U.S. The working group is developing standards for alternative marine power, or allowing a ship to be plugged up to shore power while it is in port.

The vessel emissions and shore power efforts are part of the SCSPA's landside efforts, which includes a partnership with DHEC to reduce emissions. The goal of this partnership is to handle more cargo, but with less emissions. The SCSPA has moved to ultra-low sulfur diesel, the cleanest diesel fuel available, three years ahead of the federal requirement. The pilots and S.C. Public Railways have also moved to ULSD, and all SCSPA tenants will be using ULSD by September. Among other initiatives, the SCSPA is also funding a new air monitoring station, using cleaner engines and including air emissions reductions in its construction bid documents.

Charleston, SC - Work began this week to install 3.5 million feet (662 miles) of wick drains at the port expansion site on the former Navy Base in Charleston, signaling that construction of the new, 280-acre container terminal is moving forward.

The wick drains, also known as prefabricated vertical (PV) drains, provide a channel for water to migrate vertically from sub-surface soils in order for the land to consolidate and the site to settle. This work is a necessary step before any construction may commence, and greatly reduces the destructive effects long-term settlement would have on above-ground pavement and structures.

The wick drains are pushed vertically deep into the silty clay soils. Once the wicks are in place a thick layer of soil (surcharge) is placed over the area to provide weight. The surcharge presses down on the wet soils, causing water to migrate vertically up the wick drains into the horizontal drainage layer above.

Charleston, SC - The Board of the South Carolina State Ports Authority (SCSPA) this week approved a $160-million budget, projecting more than $100 million in capital spending and a slight increase in container traffic for the coming fiscal year.

Approval of the financial plan comes on the heels strong results in the Port of Charleston. In May, the SCSPA handled 157,553 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in Charleston, up 7% from the same month last year and up 14% from the previous month.

More than $80 million of the anticipated capital spending in the next 12 months will go directly to projects adding new capacity to the SCSPA's port facilities, primarily in Charleston. Progress and spending is also anticipated on development of a new joint port facility on the Savannah River in Jasper County.

For the SCSPA's 2009 fiscal year which begins July 1, operating revenues are expected to increase 1.63% to $160.4 million and pier containers are projected to increase just slightly (0.5%) from the current year. The number of employees is projected to increase by nine to 593. Jobs could be added in Port Police and operations, along with a new environmental affairs position.

The SCSPA Board also approved $100.3 million in capital spending in FY09 for capacity enhancements and terminal improvements. The largest allocations of the plan are $56.2 million for the new container terminal at the former Navy Base and $24.7 million for container yard expansion and improvements.

In other action, the Board approved a $461,000 contract to Banks Construction of North Charleston to pave a two-acre parcel at Columbus Street Terminal that was formerly part of the right-of-way for the old Cooper River bridges. The Board also approved to allot $200,000 for maintenance berth dredging at the Port of Georgetown.